The most sorely neglected Blog named after misheard Electric Six lyrics

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Giant Otters (June 20th, 2009)

This is not photoshoped, you are looking at two South American Giant Otters. They are hands down my favorite animal. These awsome creatures usually reside running rivers or tributaries from rivers (like the Amazon River) that have been cut off and become lakes. Your average giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis) is an anmazing physical specimen. The following is an extract from Wikipedia realting the physcial characteristics of this animal;

Males are between 1.5 and 1.8 meters (4.9–5.9 feet) in length and females between 1.5 and 1.7 m (4.9–5.6 ft). The animal's well-muscled tail can account for as much as 69 centimeters (27 in) of total body length.Early reports of skins and living animals suggested exceptionally large males of up to 2.4 m (7.9 ft); intensive hunting likely reduced the occurrence of such massive specimens. Weights are between 32 and 45.3 kilograms (70–100 pounds) for males and 22 and 26 kg (48–57 lbs) for females.

Otters are cute. You think of cute creatures, and and an otter will generaly make most people's top ten. But when does this member of the Mustelidae family stop being adorable? Anything close to or over a meter crosses that line. When seeing one of these Large animals thoughts of 'wow, that is just so like people' would quickly turn to 'wow , I hope it doesn't like to eat people'.

The thought of a 2.4 meter Otter is just mind blowing. Imagine if an old school seven foot Giant Otter (who had become deranged by accidentally eating a toadstool) turned up in 'Wind in the Willows' looking for a spot of 'elevensies' at Ratties house instead of the erstwhile Mole? The storming of toad hall would have involved alot of body bags and a fresh coat of paint to hide the carnage. No need to find some triffle in your larder toady, our overgrown friend is snacking on the dead and bloodeid weasles in the mass grave by we dug out by the promentry.

Anything small, furry and intelligent is cute. If it lives in a jungle, is over a meter and can give a Jaguar a run for it's money it is something to leave alone and be in awe of.